Under the Same Roof
by beyondinfinite
Summary: Now that I think about it, I never expected to be living with the school loser, Sakura Kinomoto.
1. Flames

**Under the Same Roof**

Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura. It's too cute for my own good.

* * *

**Chapter one. Flames**

He shut his eyes once more, trying very hard not to listen to his sister's squeals.

"Does this look good on me?"

"Will it make my butt look big?"

"Syaoran! I need you to see this!"

"Isn't this a bit too long?"

Li Syaoran was out shopping with his sisters. It was a normal friday night, and the girls had gone home to visit. They were all married now, living across the continent. Shopping was one of their hobbies, which is why our poor amber eyed character was slumping.

"Hurry up already!" He bellowed. The whole store seemed to be staring at him. He shook his head and then apologized.

The girls giggled some more. It was their last night in Tomoeda, and they wanted to spend it with their "cute little brother". He was supposed to drive them to the airport after this too. Oh, the things he does for them.

As soon as his sisters had payed for everything, he dragged them to the car. The whole thirty minute drive there, he was bombarded with personal questions.

"Do you have a girlfriend, little bro?"

"What does she look like?"

"Tell me her name!"

He rolled his eyes from the driver's seat, and then chuckled. "I don't have one."

Fuutie, Feimei, Sheifa and Fanren were startled. Despite their teasing, they knew that Syaoran was a very handsome boy. Any girl would fawn over him! Why did he have to be kind of an anti-relationship guy?

After more tears and hugs, the girls had left, and Syaoran drove home alone.

* * *

A fire truck was racing down the street. Syaoran looked confused. Were their neighbors' houses on fire? He got off his car by the crooked curb and then ran home.

Home was not what he returned to. His house was on fire, burning before his very eyes. The sight of it made his stomach lurch, and he wanted to scream. How did this happen?

His face looked ashen as the police came. Various neighbors surrounded him as he watched the fire burning his house. He wondered where his mother was.. Shoot! His mother! His eyes searched the streets for any sign of the woman, but no avail.

One particular neighbor answered his unspoken question. "They haven't found her yet, son. But judging by the intensity of the fire, not even you could have survived." His eyes were sad and his expression, sorrowful. He pitied the poor boy. How could anyone bear to lose a mother, at the tender age of fifteen? The man clucked his tongue, and then patted Syaoran on the shoulder.

Syaoran's lip trembled, and suddenly felt weak. He wasn't known for showing strong emotion, for he was known as the impassive mysterious handsome boy at school, but his mother was one of the few people that compelled him to.

Everybody seemed to be talking at once, and Syaoran felt tired. They were discussing his new home arrangements. Right. He was an orphan now. His emotions were not at all welcome to the idea. He saw two figures, conversing quietly with the authorities. The Kinomoto couple. They seemed to be agreeing on something, although he wasn't sure what.

He remained quiet until he couldn't take it anymore. "So, where will I stay now?"

The adults smiled, an attempt to cheer him up.

"You'll be staying with me for a while, Syaoran." Her voice was sweet and gentle, and very familiar. It was the voice of Nadeshiko Kinomoto.

* * *

_A/N: Hii! I am not really sure if what the Kinomoto parents did was legal, so I guess I'd have to make something up now, eh? Anyway, please review and tell me what you think!_


	2. And they meet

Chapter Two. And they meet

Disclaimer: I don't own CCS. :P

* * *

_13 years ago_

_Dearest Nadeshiko,__  
__Remember when you, Sonomi, Miya and I used to fantasize about having kids? We always planned about them ending up with one another, remember? By the way, my son and I haven't had the pleasure of meeting your 2 year old girl, Sakura-chan._

_I'm leaving Syaoran under your care, if ever something happens to me. Remember our last meeting, Iko. I miss you._

_Love,__  
__Yelan._

* * *

It was when he woke up, that Syaoran felt the full impact of what happened the day before. Losing the house didn't matter. He was never attached to too many material things, either. It was the memory of his mother that made him feel remorse. He felt guilty that somehow, in some way, he was responsible for her death.

The investigators told him that the fire started with a kettle. Something about spilling hot water? Syaoran couldn't remember. He was much too sad to involve himself with such trivial things.

He sat up from the bed and then took in the room he was in. It was simple. There was a bed, a cabinet, a desk, and a bookshelf. The walls were painted dark green and white. The floor tiles were patterned. Black, red, white, black, red, white...

It seemed suitable enough. His room back in his old house was pretty much the same. He never asked for unnecessary things. What he didn't have then, was an old painting easel. It was black and - as Syaoran ran his hand to touch it- still smooth. There was a small canvas with an unfinished painting. It was of a small girl with auburn hair and a small boy as young as her, with brown unruly hair. Only that. No scenery, no nothing.

Syaoran looked at the painting skeptically. Was the boy him? If so, then who was the girl? And why would the painter paint such a picture? He shook his head dismissively. He walked away from the easel. He was about to open the door when someone knocked. He slowly twisted the knob, and then in came a smiling Fujitaka Kinomoto.

"Good morning, Syaoran. Did you sleep well?" The man was only trying to help make the boy comfortable.

"Good morning, Mr. Kinomoto. Yes, I did. Thank you." In turn, Syaoran was polite.

Fujitaka produced three pairs of clothes for Syaoran. "I found these for you. One of these days, my wife will take you shopping for real clothes." He smiled kindly at the boy.

Syaoran was startled. He hadn't expected this. "Thank you, sir." He bowed for about two seconds, and then took the clothes from Fujitaka.

* * *

He stepped out of the warm shower, dressing quickly as to keep the warmth with him, if only for a short time. He combed his hair, which was as stubborn as ever and did no effect on him whatsoever. He stepped out of his room, and then searched for Mrs. Kinomoto.

She told him a while ago that she would indeed take him out for clothes shopping. He was also told that all of the money his mother owned was now his.

Syaoran was not very keen with this piece of news, but he accepted it nonetheless. To be honest, he didn't really care. He wanted his mother. His heart still ached for her, but his mind had already accepted the hard truth. She was gone.

"Syaoran." He looked up and found Nadeshiko Kinomoto sitting on the piano bench, closing the organ she had been playing. She smiled kindly at him, like she knew him fondly. And she did, not that he knew.

He nodded at her. "Good morning, Mrs. Kinomoto. Are we going now or..." His voice trailed away.

Nadeshiko nodded, and then got up from her seat. "I'd get my car keys first."

Syaoran stopped her. "No need, Ma'am. We can take my car." He was being generous, and she found that charming. She knew for a fact that he was raised well by Yelan, her best friend since forever. She smiled once again, and then braided her dark gray hair.

"Alright, Syaoran dear. I'll prepare us something to eat." She left for the kitchen.

Realizing that he didn't have his car keys with him, Syaoran went back up the stairs. He wasn't looking were he was going, so when he reached the topmost step, he ran into someone, and both fell on the floor.

"Oww, oww, oww."

Syaoran was startled. He didn't know of anyone else who lived in the house except for the couple. Did they happen to have a daughter or something? He was fairly new, having only moved to Tomoeda two months prior. It was nearing the end of summer, and he was expected to go the local high school here.

"I'm sorry." He was met by a pair of green eyes and a flash of auburn hair. She looked alarmed and confused. Who was she?

* * *

Sakura Kinomoto did not expect to meet their new house mate so oddly. She was wearing house clothes, a pair of shorts and a tank top, which made it even more embarrassing.

"I'm Li Syaoran." He introduced himself, hadn't he? Or was she just used to people making fun of her, that she didn't see the genuineness of his introduction?

She ignore the thought. "Kinomoto Sakura. I, uhh, I didn't expect to meet you like this. Sorry." She ran off to her room.

Who was she kidding? Befriending someone as handsome and rich as him? She would be the laughingstock for the whole year! Not that she wasn't already.

Sakura isn't what you would call popular. On the contrary, she was the exact opposite. She was ridiculed and mocked. Duh, its high school! What would _you _expect? As you can see, she was still a humble girl. Too humble that she let people step all over her.

She sighed deeply, and then continued typing on her computer. She went out to get herself a glass of water, but then she met the Li boy. She was far too confused to go back to what she initially wanted to do.

That was how they met.

* * *

_A/N: I guess I finally got the idea of that. Well, we shall see. Anyways, I'm posting this super early because I've got tons of schoolwork and won't be able to post within the week. Expect the next update to be next week or so. Please review! I love hearing your thoughts. Thanks!_


	3. Eriol

Chapter 3. Eriol

Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura, which is sad, but true.

* * *

Shopping for clothes was uneventful for both Syaoran and Nadeshiko: at least, at the beginning. They were about to leave the department store when a blue haired boy with midnight blue eyes ran up to them.

Nadeshiko smiled at the boy, and then waved. She acted like she expected this to happen. Syaoran felt completely awkward. The guy was about Syaoran's age, and they had the same height.

"Hello, Eriol."

The boy, now named Eriol, smiled cheerfully. "Hello, Mrs. Kinomoto. How are Sakura and Mr. Kinomoto? I'm looking forward to be in the same school as her, as of this year." Ever since Eriol came to Japan two years prior, he had been going to a school in the other town. This year, he was going to be enrolled in the same high school as Sakura.

He turned to Syaoran. "And you are?"

"Li Syaoran." His replied curtly. The boys nodded at each other.

"W-wait. Li? As in, your mother is Li Yelan? Auntie Yelan! How is she doing?" Eriol sounded like a schoolgirl when he talked of the woman. If it weren't Syaoran's mother, he would have laughed.

Syaoran slipped his hands in his pockets, and then looked away. "Sh-she's gone." At the end of the sentence, his voice broke. No, no, no. He wasn't going to cry _now_. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, and then saw Eriol.

"Thanks."

Of course, Eriol understood. He had lost his mother and father too, when he was a child. It hurt, but he had to go through it. He was pretty sure that Syaoran mourned for her, still. Right now, Eriol was living with his official guardian: Akizuki Nakuru.

Sensing the tension, Nadeshiko tried to lighten the mood. "Syaoran, Eriol is the son of the late Hiiragizawa Miya. She, Daidouji Sonomi, Li Yelan and I were best friends since the first grade. We've been meaning to introduce you all to each other, but the time was never right. Nevertheless, Eriol knows my Sakura, and you know Eriol. That just leaves Tomoyo, right? Well, she is Sakura's cousin, and she visits from time to time, but this year, she and her mother will be staying for good." Nadeshiko smiled, "By the way, you two are cousins."

She walked away, waving to the two boys.

"Syaoran, I'll see you tonight!"

Syaoran cocked his eyebrows. He turned to Eriol, who raised his hands up in surrender.

"She asked me to show you around. You up for it?" Eriol seemed nice. Syaoran liked him immediately.

"Sure."

* * *

"So, have you met Sakura yet?" Eriol's question was sudden and unexpected. Syaoran arched his eyebrows, and then remembered his odd meeting with the girl. He didn't see her that well, judging by the dim lights of the hallway, and that he just fell on the floor. But he did see a pair of green eyes. They were wide and alert. Something about them made her noticeable.

"I saw her this morning. But, we haven't had the time to actually talk yet. Why do you ask?" Syaoran chose his words carefully and slowly.

"Nothing. She's really nice, but there's something about her school that always makes her cringe when I mention it." He paused for a minute. "Whatever it is, we'll find out soon. We'll be batch mates now, right?"

Syaoran nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."

Eriol looked up wistfully. "I remember that I used to have a crush on her. But she only saw me as a brother. I realized that my feelings were only admiration. She was truly one of a kind. She's like the sister I never had."

Syaoran wondered silently why Eriol was confiding in him. Maybe he was trying to say something? Whatever it was, it made him feel a bit odd. He shook the thought off.

"I'm sure she's quite a lady." He settled for that simple comment, ending the discussion.

* * *

_A/N: Hi! It's updating time again, huh? Anyway, I'm sure this is short. School's been keeping me busy. Ugh, filler chapter filler chapter filler chapter. Review? You know what to do. ;)_


	4. House Rules

_Chapter 4. House Rules_

_Disclaimer: You know I don't own the awesome CCS._

* * *

After Nadeshiko and Syaoran left, Sakura crept out of her room. Her dad was out of the city again, on another excavation trip. He'd be gone for a week. He came to tell her goodbye just this morning. Touya was at the college in the next city, applying for a scholarship.

She sighed, and then plopped down on the couch, munching on an apple. She had been trying to keep herself preoccupied for some time. She kept away all thoughts of another year in her dreaded high school. Why was she the school loser again?

Sakura was a big bookworm. Truth be told, she was a sucker for love stories. She could read a three-inch thick book in less than a week. She also had a habit of taking notes in class, reviewing too much, and reciting a lot. Because of that, she was labeled the nerd.

She wore her long hair down a lot. She had been meaning to cut it for ages, but she never got around to doing it. Also, the clothes she wore never really seemed to match. Without a girl friend around, she was stuck with figuring things out by herself.

To be honest, she was beautiful. People just don't see it because they don't look hard enough. Her emerald green eyes were always curious and innocent. At home, she was happy and carefree. At school, she was reserved and quiet. She enjoyed the company her parents and Touya gave her, but she never felt the feeling when you were with a friend.

Even worse, she only saw Eriol every Saturday. That was the day that they invite him and Nakuru to come over and have dinner. His house wasn't far from hers, but they were in separate schools, so she seldom sees him.

This year would finally change, she thought to herself. Eriol and Li were going to be in her school. Oh, and Tomoyo. She vaguely remembered her mother gushing about her cousin Sonomi's daughter.

Sakura had never met Tomoyo, and she wasn't sure what to make of her. Whenever Tomoyo was around for a visit, she was out of the house or hiding somewhere doing something. Would she shut her out because of her status? The three would probably be popular the second they step into the classroom. Come on, they were gorgeous. Sakura had seen pictures of her cousin Tomoyo before but none of them too recent.

It was also unfair in Tomoyo's part, to be judged even before meeting. Sakura was just making sure she wouldn't have a bully for a cousin. She resolved to just let things flow, whether it was in her favor or not.

She threw away what was left of her apple, and then made herself some orange juice. She faintly heard the door open, and then close. It was her mother.

"Hello, mother. What happened to Li-san?" Sakura asked. Her orange juice cup was half empty already. She poured herself some more.

Nadeshiko smiled, "He's with Eriol."

Sakura nodded. "How come you're his legal guardian?" Yes, it was a question that had been constantly reappearing on her mind.

Nadeshiko seemed thoughtful for a moment. "Well, do you remember Li Yelan, Hiiragizawa Miya and Daidouji Sonomi?"

The girl nodded. "Well, we told each other that whatever happens to us, our children had to go to one. Syaoran to me, you to Yelan, Eriol to Sonomi, and Tomoyo to Miya. But then, Miya and her husband, Uteji-kun died so suddenly, that Nakuru took charge. Sonomi agreed, since she and Tomoyo lived in Tokyo."

Sakura smiled. Somehow, in some way, the little arrangement was cute, albeit confusing.

Suddenly, the door creaked open. Two boys were heard arguing.

"Tell her to cook pizza."  
"But we had pizza yesterday."  
"Aw, c'mon Eriol. Pizza."  
"No. Lasagna, and that's final."  
"Fine..."

Syaoran and Eriol emerged from outside. They both bowed to Nadeshiko.

Syaoran's eyes fell on Sakura. When she noticed this, her eyes found the floor. He tilted his head slightly, and then breathed.

"Hello, Kinomoto-san."

"Hey, Sakura!" Eriol was bouncy and hyper. Sakura guessed ice cream and sweets. She smiled sheepishly.

"Hi Li-san. Eriol."

* * *

"Syaoran?" It was Nadeshiko. She opened the door to his room midway. "May I come in?"

Syaoran was keeping a paintbush in one of the cabinet drawers. He nodded. He had been painting for a while ever since he came to the Kinomoto household. He was nearly finished with his painting. It was of beautiful garden. To be honest, it was of Nadeshiko's garden.

"That's a lovely painting. It's my garden, isn't it?" Nadeshiko beamed. Syaoran truly was a gifted child.

Syaoran returned a weak smile. "Yes, it is."

Nadeshiko shook her head and then sighed. "Since you'll be staying with us now, you'd better know that we have house rules here. Curfew is at 11 pm; although I'm sure we wont have any problems with that. You have also have chores."

The boy's eyes widened. He had never done chores before. "B-but… I don't know how." He said quietly, his eyes on the ground.

Nadeshiko tried to ease his tension. "Sakura will help you!" She chirped.

Syaoran's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Alright, Mrs. Kinomoto. Thank you."

* * *

Syaoran swore inwardly as the plate slipped from his grasp again. He was washing the dinner plates. Nadeshiko already went to sleep and only who knows what Sakura was doing.

"You seem to be having trouble." He whipped around and saw Sakura in a t-shirt and pajamas. She raised her eyebrows, and then looked off to the side.

Syaoran laughed nervously. "Umm, yeah. I can't get the hang of it."

Sakura walked near him, and then took a pair of rubber gloves. She put them on and then took a plate. "You hold it like this," she demonstrated, "and you scrub downward, like this." For ten minutes, they washed and scrubbed and rinsed the dinner dishes. In all honesty, Syaoran had fun. It was weird. But it was fun. After a few tries, he got the hang of it quickly.

Sakura dried her hands with a tissue paper. "Well, I'll uhh, go now. Goodnight!" She fled from the room. Syaoran had to admit that Sakura was a weird girl. But she seemed nice enough. He shook his head, dried his hands, and went off to sleep.

* * *

_A/N: Hello! Ohmygolly. Its been three weeks or so hasn't it? I'm really sorry for the delay but Math has been occupying my mind these past few weeks. Anyway, I hope you liked it! I made it longer than usual. Hehe. Anyway, please review! :3_


	5. Tomoyo

Chapter Five. Tomoyo

Disclaimer: I'm so awesome that I made up CCS. Yeah right. Haha. Well, I don't.

* * *

Sakura did not despise school. In fact, she liked it. The school, not the people in it. Well, there were a few teachers who were fond of her, but they didn't account for much.

She was wearing something nice today. A light blue polo and knee length shorts. Her mother fixed her up, saying something about making a new first impression in school.

First impression? Yeah, right.

Her hair wasn't in its usual messy untouched state. She brushed it up nicely, and then tied it in a ponytail. She seriously needed the haircut.

She dressed this way for two reasons. First, her mother. Second, Eriol. He told her at least six times to dress up nicely because it was his 'new' life in a new school, and she better not spoil his fun. He meant it as a joke, but she took it seriously. Two of her friends- err, well Syaoran was an acquaintance- and her cousin will be attending school as of today. She had to do this for them.

Discreet laughter greeted her as she entered the halls. She was alone because the two boys needed their schedules from the Principal's office. A few more stifled laughs were heard before she turned around.

It was Harumi Senina. She was the most vile and most vicious bully in school. She was the most popular student, of course. She looked at Sakura carefully for about 10 seconds.

"Congratulations, Kinomoto. You actually pass off as a real human being," she sneered. Sakura shook her head. No matter what she says, she ends up getting humiliated anyway.

Sakura walked down the hall, towards her classroom.

* * *

Tomoyo sighed as she trudged up the school steps. Yay, first day of school. She wasn't very enthusiastic about it, considering the fact that she missed her friends from Tokyo. You could easily tell that she was homesick.

She ran her index finger on the school map. Room 168. Hmm.

165, 166, 167... Aha, 168. She knocked gently on the door.

A man in a blue suit stepped out. She bowed. "Good morning, Sir. I'm the new student, Daidouji Tomoyo."

The teacher smiled. "Oh, good. You're just in time. I was about to introduce the other new students. Step in, come on."

New students? Tomoyo wondered who they were, but she hoped that they'd be good friends. She put on a cheerful smile and then walked in the classroom. She was met by two other boys. An amber eyed guy with chocolate brown hair, and a guy with midnight blue eyes and dark hair that gave off the impression that it was blue.

Woah, she was in for a big surprise.

* * *

Ever since he stepped in the room, Syaoran knew that something was off. He would be classmates with Sakura and Eriol, which made him feel a bit more comfortable but there was a nagging feeling that made him wonder what was so different.

The three had agreed that Sakura and Syaoran would pick Eriol up from his house.

"Why do you want to use my car again?" Syaoran asked Sakura jokingly.

"Because! Your car is pretty and I don't want to walk to school." She grimaced. Syaoran laughed as Eriol got in the back seat.

"We're kinda early, don't you think?" Eriol grumbled. It was pretty obvious that he lacked sleep. His head was nodding off to the side. Sakura stifled a giggle.

"Looks like someone was excited for school." Syaoran smirked. He shifted gears and then off they went.

"I was sleep deprived! And, yeah. Excitement. Whatever." He fell asleep again.

Sakura folded her hands on her lap. She'd grown quite accustomed to the two boys. She wasn't exactly friends with Syaoran yet, but they were coming along fine.

"So, my car is pretty huh?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

The Sakura in the car was completely different from the Sakura sitting in the classroom. This Sakura was foreign to him. Her hands were clenched on the desk, and her head was bent down. Her hair covered her eyes, and her body was rigid and tense.

He was used to her being cheerful and happy and carefree. To be honest, Syaoran expected her to be one of the popular kids, if not the most. She never really talked about school, but he thought it was because it was summer.

He stared at her figure, making the other students wonder. She didn't look up once.

* * *

Eriol wondered who the new girl was. She was exceptionally pretty, and her violet eyes caught his attention first. She was captivating. And to think that they were going to be classmates! He smiled at his silly thought. The girl glanced at him and then looked out the window.

He raised his eyebrows but made no move. The teacher in the blue suit cleared his throat. The entire class grew silent.

"Class, we have three new students today. I hope that you will all accept them and befriend them," he turned to the three, "Please introduce yourselves."

"I'm Li Syaoran." After that, Syaoran walked to the side. Interested and dreamy eyes followed him. He grew tense.

Eriol stepped forward. "Hello everyone. My name is Hiiragizawa Eriol. Pleased to be here." He did what Syaoran did, and again, the eyes followed him.

At last, it was the girl's turn. She fussed over the hem of her blouse before she walked over to the front. "Good morning. I am Daidouji Tomoyo, and I came from Tokyo. I hope we can be friends."

She went over to where the other two boys were. Harumi Senina chuckled to herself. New members for her little group. Perfect.

Mr. Terada nodded and then showed them where to sit. "Li would be behind Kinomoto. Hiiragizawa, next to Li. Daidouji, in front of Hiiragizawa. Are we clear?"

The three nodded vehemently and proceeded to their seats.

Quiet whispers filled the room. Kinomoto? With the hot new kids? Has the world come to an end? Poor Li, Hiiragizawa and Daidouji.

* * *

After the second period, everyone broke up for recess. The four remained in the room.

Slowly, Sakura lifted her head. She had been unusually quiet throughout the first two subjects. "Hello, Daidouji-san." She bowed politely to Tomoyo.

Tomoyo's eyes widened, and then she laughed. "You can call me Tomoyo, Sakura. We are cousins after all."

Eriol smiled. "So, you're the Tomoyo girl Mrs. Kinomoto was talking about? Interesting."

Tomoyo raised her eyebrows. "What is interesting about that?"

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "Our parents were like, best friends or something. I don't know."

Sakura nodded but stayed quiet. Tomoyo grew concerned. She didn't expect her cousin to be the shy type. "Why don't you all come over to my house later? We can hang out or something."

Syaoran shrugged. "Fine."

Eriol smiled wistfully. "I'm sure I could go."

Sakura hesitated for a while and then sighed in defeat. "I'll be there."

* * *

Much to Sakura's surprise, the day was uneventful. A few laughs and stares here and there, but no humiliation. She sighed in relief. She hoped that she wouldn't bring the others' popularity down. She hated being the cause of something bad.

In the end, Syaoran drove all of them to Tomoyo's house. While Tomoyo was instructing him on how to actually get there, Sakura was staring out the window, and Eriol was singing along to the music in the radio.

"Well, here we are!" Tomoyo said. Eriol looked up from the window. It was huge. He glanced at Sakura and saw her eyes almost pop out of their sockets.

"Surprised, are we Sakura?" The girl turned red in embarrassment and then laughed.

"I've never been in a house so big!"

* * *

That afternoon, the four of them grew closer. Tomoyo and Sakura were best friends in an instant, chatting away happily while the boys played video games.

"What do you think of Sakura?" Eriol asked Syaoran. It was a weird question, but Eriol was just really curious.

Syaoran pursed his lips. "I don't know. She seems nice. She helps me around doing house chores, but she seems distant. Does she tell you secrets?"

Eriol shook his head. "It even took her a while to be comfortable around me. Whenever I said something, she used to expect them to be negative. But she's a genuinely nice person, I grant you that."

Syaoran nodded, resuming the video game. Why did Sakura keep a barrier around herself? Why was she so distant to people?

Syaoran resolved to find out himself.

* * *

_A/N: Well, this was updated faster than usual. Hehe. Please review, you know what to do. ;)_


	6. Two Years Ago

Chapter Six. Two Years Ago

Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Card Captor Sakura.

* * *

Harumi Senina raised her eyebrow at the trembling eighth grader. "Well? What did you find out?"

The boy looked troubled. "We-well…" He stuttered.

Her eyes flashed. "Hurry up! I haven't got all day."

"HiiragizawaisKinomoto'sfamilyfriendandLiisHiiragiz awa'scousinandDaidoujiisKinomoto 'scousintoo."

Senina rolled her eyes. "Very well. Scram!"

The boy, Naji, ran for dear life. Senina's lips curved into a smile.

She had waited long enough for this. Long enough, meaning two days. The three new kids had been attached to Kinomoto like glue. Senina had no idea what that meant. Until now.

Li, Hiiragizawa and Daidouji would be excellent tools to make her more popular (not like she wasn't already).

She liked bullying Kinomoto the best. Kinomoto was a pushover. She was gullible and naïve and innocent. Best of all, she didn't tell on Senina. She was the perfect dork to mess around with.

All Harumi Senina had to do was get rid of her.

* * *

Sakura used to be the most popular girl in school, believe it or not. She was pictured as sweet and nice to everyone. But then, that was two years ago.

_Warm, soft hands covered the auburn's eyes. She froze, for a moment, and then relaxed again. "I know it's you, Kai."_

_She turned around to face him with a smile, only to be met with a grimace._

"_What's wrong, Kai?"_

_His eyes were cold and impassive. "I'm breaking up with you."_

_The news shocked her. She didn't speak. She blinked after about three seconds. "W-what?"_

_He tilted his head. "Can't you get it into your thick head? It's over! It never even started, in my opinion."_

"_Wh-what do you mean?"_

_A soft chuckle could be heard from the distance. Harumi Senina stepped out of the shadows. "Hello there, Sakura."_

"_S-senina! K-kai i-is b-br-breaking up with me." Her tears were flowing freely down her porcelain cheeks. Her hands shot up to dab them away, until she saw Harumi's expression._

_Senina was smiling._

"_I know. That's because he's _my _boyfriend." _

_Sakura blinked. "Huh?!"_

_Kai sighed. "She told me bad stuff about you about a month ago. I didn't believe her. I told her she was judging you because everybody liked you. So," he started, "she told me to try being close to you. Luckily, you accepted to be my 'girlfriend'."_

_His explanation was so precise, with hand movements and air quotes. Sakura was devastated. "So you lied and cheated on me?"_

"_He played with you, more like it. You're just… not the person everyone thinks you are."_

_By then, people were crowding around the hallway. Whispers and murmurs were all around. _

"_Hey, everybody! Did you know that Kinomoto Sakura stole my boyfriend?" Harumi cried crocodile tears. "I-I saw them here by the lockers, flirting. It was just so hard to watch. How could she?!"_

_Everyone's eyes landed on Sakura. The intensity of their stares made her want to vanish right then and there. Come to think of it, Kai told her never to tell anyone that they were together. Right. It was all part of the big plan to humiliate her and kill her social life. Excellent. _

_Murmurs turned into shouts of insults and curses. Sakura turned and ran from the school. That was the day she became the school loser. She lost all her friends; they were never true. She lost all her admirers; they didn't stick by her at all._

_She lost everything._

* * *

A/N: Hello! It's been a month or so, hasn't it? I'm terribly sorry. This is another filler chapter too. ToT I'm really sorry! Focusing on studies. 3 He he. It paid off! I'm top 9 in our class. Now, I just have to get better in Math… Btw, please review! Thanks! I love you guys. :)


	7. Feelings and Umbrellas

Under the Same Roof

Chapter Seven. Feelings and Umbrellas

Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captor Sakura.

* * *

It had been two whole months since Syaoran's house burned down. Sakura, Tomoyo, and Eriol were closer than ever. Syaoran… well, he was just the same aloof boy we all know. He had found out what happened to Sakura, though. He felt sympathy for her. Being tricked by someone you thought you loved? It was harsh.

After then, he had grown more accustomed to Sakura's feelings. He would step up for her when she was being picked on. Especially by Harumi Senina and her gang. The thing was, Harumi was being so weird lately. Whenever he was around Sakura, she would be so nice. But then, when he left, she'd turn into Ursula mode.

Syaoran didn't know what to think of it so he let it go. Girls? What did he know?

Sakura had been happier these past few months. She had finally gotten friends for keeps. Realer than real and truer than true. She treasured them a lot. For once in her life, she felt accepted. She finally realized what she was missing.

Ever since Tomoyo entered her life, (thank goodness) she had started dressing better. She decided not to cut her hair after all. Tomoyo gave her bottles and containers of hair care products. Well, they worked!

"Sakura-chan, stand still!"

Ever since Tomoyo came to Tomoeda, Kinomoto Sakura had been her own personal mannequin. Sakura's closets were filled with clothes that she never thought she'd have. Tomoyo truly was sent from heaven.

* * *

Syaoran swore inwardly as his foot missed the tree for the eleventh time. It's 4 AM in the morning, and nobody was outside except for him. He was training again. Even though he did not take lessons anymore, he still practiced his Martial Arts. Brief memories from the night before intruded his mind, distracting him.

_Fujitaka and Nadeshiko went out to visit an old friend. He and Sakura ate dinner alone. They'd made light conversation._

"_How are your English classes, Kinomoto-san?"_

_It startled Sakura to hear him use her last name, but then again, she hasn't given him permission yet. She shrugged._

"_They're okay, I guess. We just finished Alice in Wonderland!"_

_Syaoran smiled. "So did we. While Kina-sensei wasn't looking, I fell asleep. I dreamt that I was the rabbit. Can you believe it?"_

_Sakura giggled, filling Syaoran's ears with a rare melodic laugh. "I imagined that I was Alice! How come you fell asleep?"_

"_Eriol drove yesterday, right? Well, it made me dizzy. And English was our second period."_

"_I remember! Really? I didn't know you had motion sickness, Li-kun." She playfully punched his left shoulder. He blushed when she said his name. He didn't know why._

"_Not unless you've experienced Eriol's mad driving skills!" She laughed again. Their food lay forgotten on the kitchen table as they talked._

"_Oh. That's right. I was with Tomoyo-chan."_

Syaoran didn't know why, but he was feeling so weird whenever he was with her. It wasn't the same when he was with Tomoyo or any other girl though. Maybe it was brotherly love?

_A guy approached Sakura and Tomoyo. He was holding a bouquet of roses. Syaoran watched with his eyes narrowed down to slits. Sakura graciously turned down the boy, even though he made her accept the flowers. _

"_He's so sweet, ne Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura asked while sniffing the flowers. Tomoyo sneaked a glance at Syaoran who was red-faced._

"_Yeah, Sakura-chan. Whatever you say."_

_If looks could kill, that boy would be resting in peace by then._

"_Uh, Li-senpai! May I get an auto—?"_

"_No." There's the Syaoran we all know and love!_

"_Please, Li-senpai. Just a pi—?"_

_He looked at the fan girl murderously. She squeaked in surprise and then ran off._

Syaoran shook his head multiple times. Why had he gotten so mad? If it were a normal day, he would've just given the girl his stinking autograph.

No, it wasn't brotherly love.

But if it wasn't… what was that?

* * *

Syaoran tried his best to ignore the nagging feeling in his mind. He concentrated on his routine and, fortunately enough, finished it perfectly.

He climbed the Cherry Blossom tree to get his shirt. He had hung it there before he started training. He wiped away his sweat as he entered the back door. Surprisingly, Sakura was already awake.

He checked the time. It was only 6 AM. On Saturdays, she would've stayed up till noon. What made her get up so early?

"I had to get myself a glass of water, but then I grew hungry. I saw you through the window, so I made you breakfast as well."

Did she read his mind?

"No, I can't read minds, silly." She laughed. He stared at her.

_Beats me,_ he thought.

"You think aloud, you know that?"

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Did your parents come back last night?"

"Nope. They usually go on these weekend trips all the time."

"They leave you alone a lot?"

"Nah. I'm almost always with my brother, Touya."

"Oh." Syaoran hasn't had the pleasure of meeting the famous Kinomoto Touya yet. As he thought about it, Sakura placed a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him. She had started eating already.

He took a bite of the bacon.

"This is good!" And then, the rain came.

"Please, please, please?"

Sakura, being the bubbly optimistic immature kid she was, wanted to play in the rain. Syaoran wouldn't hear of it though. She might get sick!

"No, Kinomoto-san. Your parents might get mad at me."

"They won't!" she said. "My mom lets me do it all the time."

He didn't know it, but she was bluffing. "Really?"

She bit her lip. "Really!"

"Fine…"

"Thank you, Li-kun! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

There goes his heart again. Why did his brain suddenly spin whenever he heard her say his name?

A blast of icy wind barged in through the open door. Sakura had already gone outside, so he decided to follow suit. With an umbrella, of course.

"Look, Li-kun! It's so fun to play in the raaaaaain!"

Syaoran rolled his eyes at the immature girl.

"Don't you think it's getting too hard?"

"What is?" She shouted. She was halfway across the street. Syaoran practically couldn't see her because of the fog.

"Oi, Kinomoto-san. Come back!" he replied. He sighed and then walked towards her with the umbrella.

"But I'm still having fun!"

"You'll get sick! Get under the umbrella." He ordered. She pouted and then obeyed him. He glared at her.

"Wha—," she started, but then suddenly felt dizzy. "I think going inside is good. Don't you think so?"

He frowned at her sudden change of attitude? _Is she bipolar or something_?

Or something.

Sakura swayed a bit and almost fell over. It was a good thing that Syaoran got a hold of her waist tightly, securing her from hitting the ground beneath them. She started at him, and then sneezed. Right in front of his face.

"I'm sorry…" her eyelids drooped slowly.

Syaoran wrinkled his nose. "This is what you get for not listening to me."

He didn't know what to do with her; she had already fallen asleep while leaning on his shoulder. He wrinkled his nose. This was actually the first time he ever let a girl get this close to him. He didn't know what to do.

_What did I get myself into?_

* * *

A/N: Hello! It's been a very long time, right? I'm really sorry! I was too caught up with other stories (not in ffn) and school. I made a long chapter for you guys though. Hehe. (sweatdrops) Thank you for waiting (if you did), and please review. :)


	8. Calls and Frustrations

Under the Same Roof

Chapter Eight. Calls and Frustrations

Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captor Sakura.

* * *

Syaoran laid Sakura's sleeping figure on the couch. He didn't know what to do. It was raining very hard, and he knew that the Kinomoto adults were not coming back until the next day. What was he going to do?

_Maybe I should call Eriol or Daidouji!_

He flipped his phone on and then pressed speed dial. In a matter of seconds, two of the most important people in Sakura and Syaoran's lives picked up their phones.

"Syaoran? It's 8 AM on a Saturday. What in the world are you calling for?" Eriol sounded tired and slightly sleepy. Tomoyo laughed on the other side of the line.

"Li-kun, is everything all right?"

Syaoran was too frantic to listen to Eriol's complaints.

"Kinomoto has a fever and I don't know what to _do!_"

So yes, maybe he _was_ angry a bit too much, but it was all _her_ fault! Curse her and her ability to make him fall into her lies!

He heard a loud sound and then a cry of frustration. "I'm coming over!"

It was Tomoyo.

"You can't Tomoyo-chan. It's too dangerous to walk out there in that weather. Driving to their house would be pretty dangerous too, since the road might be slippery."

Eriol tried to sound calm, but his ever-growing worry for Sakura rose. Syaoran headed for the kitchen and then filled a glass with water. It was the only thing he could think of right then.

A couple more sounds of shuffling feet and light curses followed. "Daidouji? Are you _cursing_?" Syaoran laughed a bit, momentarily forgetting the situation at hand.

"Yeah, Tomoyo-chan. What has gotten into you?"

"Uh, yes. That was me. I'm really sorry. I am just worried for Sakura, that's all. Uhm, Syaoran? Do you know how to cook soup?"

Syaoran let the steaming pot of his homemade chicken noodle soup simmer for a while. He did as Tomoyo instructed and placed a small wet towel on Sakura's forehead. According to Eriol, he should wake her up in a few minutes so she could eat her soup and then take her medication.

_Why do I have to get this worked up over a girl?_

He thought of his unfinished painting back in his room upstairs. Maybe he could go up and finish it while he was waiting for the soup to cool down…

"Stop it, Haru…"

_Haru_? Syaoran stopped on his tracks. Was she about to say Harumi? As in, Harumi Senina? Was she even awake?

"Why do you torture… not them… moyo-ch… riol-k… shhh… syaor…"

When he heard her say his name, he froze. That was the first time he heard her say his first name. It sounded oddly comforting to him, especially since she was still sleeping soundly.

He decided to stay with her instead. The painting could wait. After a few minutes, he prepared the soup and then placed it on a tray, together with the glass of water and some medicine tablets.

He placed it on the coffee table as he tried to wake her up. He tried poking her on the cheeks first, but that didn't work. He tried tickling her feet, but that got him a kick on the face. He even shook her shoulders. Nope. At last, he resorted to just simply calling her so that she can regain consciousness quickly (and to avoid physical harm).

"Kinomoto. Oi, Kinomoto. Wake up. You've got to eat your soup. Come o-on. I made it for you-u. Please, Kinomoto, wake up," he almost gave up, "Sakura, please eat."

Sakura's body grew tense and rigid for a moment, and then it relaxed again. Slowly, she opened her eyes. She squinted for a bit, but the house lights were dim (courtesy of Li Syaoran), so she adjusted to the change very quickly.

"Achoo!" Her head pounded as her vision blurred for a moment. She blinked several times until she saw Syaoran looking at her impassively. "What?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You _do_ know that you got sick because you lied to me right?" His voice was accusing and scary. She was not going to lie again.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Li-kun."

Syaoran thought he would feel contentment at her affirmation, but all he felt was disappointment. Is it because she called him Li instead of Syaoran?

"Sure, whatever." Syaoran was a master of hiding. He's good at acting and keeping a straight face. His cold exterior showed again, blocking any of Sakura's looks of concern. He made her sit down properly and then placed the tray on her lap. He stood up and the paced across the room. Sakura ate silently, guilt eating her away inside. She hated being a burden to others. She knew that Syaoran was no exception.

_Ugh_, she thought, _why do I have to be so stubborn all the time?_

Syaoran, not having sensed her regret, lashed out on her.

"Do you know how worried I was? I even called Daidouji and Eriol because I didn't know what to do! You know that I cant do chores right? Cooking was certainly a first for me. Especially since it's for a sick person! Is it good? What does it taste like? Ugh! You infuriate me so much!"

"You… you were worried?" She asked cautiously and tentatively, also momentarily forgetting his indifference toward her feelings.

"Yes," he stopped for a second, "but so were Daidouji and Eriol. It doesn't matter! You still had us worried! You could have died!"

Sakura felt bad that Tomoyo and Eriol had to think about her. Really, what was she? Was she a pain in the neck? A burden? Bad luck? She only brought pain to people around her. This is why she doesn't express herself much in school. When she saw the pained expression of Harumi Senina two years ago… when she told everyone how Sakura made Kai cheat on Harumi… she actually believed it. Her heart was breaking, true, but her heart was also reaching out to Harumi.

She knew that Senina told Kai to court her, but when Senina acted to be hurt, Sakura believed it. She hated herself for being that way, because it caused nobody any good. Especially not her. Being gullible _does_ have its downsides. Heartaches.

She quietly finished her soup, drank her water, and then took the medicine. The tears that started forming pools in her eyes flowed freely down her cheeks. Syaoran heard a small sound; he heard her sniff. He turned around to face her, ready to say sorry, when he saw her pained expression.

Why did she always have to get herself hurt? He mentally cursed himself for making her cry. If his sisters were here, they'd kill him for sure.

He sat down on the couch next to her, their knees touching slightly. Her hands covered her face, so he gently took them away. He was holding both of her hands now, but her bangs covered her eyes, so he couldn't see her face at all.

His eyebrows scrunched up, almost embarrassed. _Why am I doing this? Do I really have to apologize?_

She looked up at him; her emerald eyes glistening with more unshed tears. _Yes, I really do._ Her lips quivered slightly, almost not moving at all. And then…

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly. She closed her eyes, not wanting to cry anymore. She was sick, for heaven's sake! After a while, Sakura fell asleep, in the arms of a very troubled Syaoran. _He was feeling a bit sleepy, too._

The front door made a sound.

_His eyelids started drooping._

The clinging of keys was heard.

_He started nodding off._

The door flew open, and in came a disheveled and wet Kinomoto Touya.

* * *

A/N: It's been more than a month! Ugh. Well, it's Sakura's birthday today. It's a special tribute to her! Hehe. Uhh, please review? Thank you!


End file.
